Is the Golden Age of fashion and art back?
With the comeback of couture and the current consciousness in art appreciation, the seemingly feared demise of the Golden Age is no longer so imminent. Classic couture being resurgent, there is, noticeably, a simultaneous rekindling of interest in elegant fashion. Long gowns are not just for red-carpet walks. The whole world is more apparent in its collection of art and expressing more enthusiasm about music, dance, painting and sculpture, arts and humanities — a true renaissance of a Golden Age. The styles are au courant or fashionably in today, and really never went out of style.
My mother (Chona Kasten) has always ingrained in me the ability to differentiate fads and trends from timeless fashion. When one wears a gown, dress, or outfit, be it a special or a casual affair, keep in mind — and this comes with inborn flair or acquired exposure — all aspects of dress, makeup, scents, accessories, and poise. For frosting on this cake, add social skill enhancement, like exercise, yoga, dance, and appreciation of the arts.
On dress or apparel, one must be keenly aware of fabric, the suitability of the style to the wearer (personality, body structure, poise level, etc.), color or print (Dior-like plain or with a phantasmagoria of flowers like Valentino’s new designing tandem? Pucci printed? DVF wrapped prints?), season, occasion, time of day, if the item is just hot now or will it be long-lasting or iconic for years to come, especially if it’s expensive.
Looking at my mother’s Pond’s and Cutex advertisements, I realize the style of makeup —the extended doe eye or lengthened oriental eyeliner — is back in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Town and Country, and all other fashion bibles and reportages. The look changes, but the basics of simplicity are more elegant and becoming, and “less is more” remains. More can only be more when a fashion show or stage presentation calls for the exaggeration.
In understanding scents, one must also understand hygienic habits and routines implemented consistently for the hair and body before dousing oneself with eau de toilette or eau de parfum. Scents have top notes (the first whiff you smell), middle notes (where the true body and ingredients of the scent are experienced), and base notes (what remains with you and blends with your body chemistry and personality).
There should be no reeking with over-spraying on a non-bathed or showered body; no bruising the scents by rubbing wrist to wrist, but just gently dabbing on pulse points and behind the knees; no spraying on the clothes — yes, no spraying on the clothes. The best, most lasting, and most effective m.o. in applying one’s favorite scent without reeking is fragrance layering, or to make sure one is newly showered or bathed before using a body lotion or moisturizer that is unscented or the same scent as your chosen fragrance. Moist skin can hold the scent longer. The next step is to puff some dusting powder or use body powder with a matching fragrance to seal the scent in one’s body. The last step is to gently spray or dab the fragrance on pulse spots, wrists, and behind the ears, knees, and crook of the arm.
The arts . . . well, what can I say? I remember the mandatory museum visits and on-the-spot quizzes and interrogations about how my brothers and I felt about the works of masters in Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, Paris, Madrid, and New York. I already had a liking for art then, until it metamorphosed into a lifelong passion. I now get involved with Leon Gallery auctions and private exhibits of choice, the most recent one being Cecil Go’s third one-man show.
I love the musical composers’ creations of Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Strauss, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart; their philharmonic orchestras, symphonies, concerts, operas, and ballets. But I also enjoy jazz, rock, pop, blues, ballads, etc. My brother Louie’s career path was niched because of discotheque, bar lounge Brazilian and Latin-strain plus-plus music, and adapting to the nightlife.
We were quizzed on London Symphony, Boston Pops, Glen Miller, Nelson Riddle, Ray Conniff, The Bolshoi, Balanchine’s American Ballet, and our very own Filipino orchestras and bands. By the time we were teens, my mother joined us as we listened to Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Jimi Hendrix, Chicago, Sting, The Bee Gees, Toto, Al Di Meola, Stan Getz, and the Gilbertos from Brazil. Today, we still enjoy listening to the famous soprano icons like Pavarotti and Boccelli, and the classic icons like Jose Mari Chan, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Rico Puno, and Lea Salonga. Then you have all the new favorites; the list is mile-long.
Dance is the best for poise, posture, confidence, grace, and keeping slim. La Divina did it all, from ballet and tap to basic ballroom and the Argentine tango with Daddy Johnny, and then much later flamenco. She must have rubbed it on me gently —as she was never imposing in her must-do demands — because I have dabbled in classic and modern ballet and Philippine folk dancing, and am now crazy about the sensational Argentine tango. Simply for their technique, master coaches Cecil and Edna are perfectionists in imparting the lifelong skills of their trade. I can never have enough.
Finally, we were taught to develop a strong appreciation for culture and history, always infusing the old with the new in every continent and country we visited; and for the writing, poetry, and literature, from Lolo Claro’s era to future generations to come.
